Aeroboat at Rolls-Royce

ENGLAND, London. At the end of May 2012 we reported on the unveiling of Claydon Reeves’ 15m Aeroboat concept at Fraser Yachts’ London office. Yesterday evening saw the Milford on Sea-based studio present a refined version of the boat—alongside an original Spitfire supercharged Merlin V12 engine, which is key to the design and will power the Aeroboat—at Rolls-Royce’s London Motor Cars showroom.


“The idea for the Aeroboat came to me when visiting a company in Suffolk that restores Hurricanes and Spitfires,” said designer and partner at Claydon Reeves, Mike Reeves. “As I walked round the packed workshops, I saw these magnificent machines, their aluminium and fabric skins peeled back revealing the pure engineering structure beneath. The simplicity was something to behold and I came away inspired. That night I sat down and within the space of an hour-and-a-half I had sketched out the basics.”


Building on the work achieved with the initial hydroform models and collaborating with Laurent Giles Naval Architects, Claydon Reeves has further refined the design to achieve the desired performance. In addition to this and due to the sheer power produced by the V12 engine, a bespoke gearbox and final drive are under development to channel this power into speeds that will exceed 50 knots.


With the assembly of Schneider Trophy race planes of the 1920s and 30s having taken place in the same shed as that now occupied by Green Marine, it is fitting that the shipyard be tasked with producing between 5 to 10 limited editions of the carbon fibre boat. Using British sourced lightweight wood veneers, leathers and polished metal finishes, Aeroboat will cost in the region of 2.3-3.5 million euros.


Capable of transporting up to seven passengers, the interior includes shock-mounted seats forward, inspired by the landing gear of the Spitfire. The helmsman has the use of a combination of analogue gauges for basic functions and touch-screen navigational systems, as well as a joystick throttle. The boat also features a forward cabin with a double berth and a small bathroom.

Related Links:
Claydon Reeves - company profile
Laurent Giles Naval Architects - company profile

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